Oligodendroglioma

Description:

The oligodendroglioma represents the glial tumor of a brain developing from oligodendrocytes. It can be observed at patients at any age, however preferential strikes adult men. Oligodendrogliomas make about 3% of all tumors which are localized in a brain. Slow growth with achievement as a result of the big sizes is characteristic of this tumor.

Generally oligodendrogliomas are localized along walls of ventricles, burgeoning in bark of a great brain. Occasionally meet in optic nerves, a cerebellum and a brainstem. The malignant new growth has light pink color and accurately expressed borders. Often in a tumor cysts are formed. Expansive and infiltrative growth, and also long (in most cases of 5 years) symptomatic disease before diagnosis is most characteristic of oligodendrogliomas.

Oligodendroglioma reasons:

At the moment the reasons leading to emergence and development of an oligodendroglioma are not established, however, the statistics allows to speak about the following risk factors:
Genetic predisposition to development of oncological diseases;
The professional activity connected with influence of harmful substances (chemical production, the petroindustry etc.) or with radiation exposure;
Unfavorable conditions of external environment;
Defeat by oncogenous viruses.

Oligodendroglioma symptoms:

The oligodendroglioma is characterized by the long symptomatic course of a tumor before installation of the specific diagnosis. Clinical displays of this pathology are result of supertension of intracranial liquid. The main symptoms are epileptic seizures and headaches. In addition at defeat by this disease take place:
Nausea;
Acrimony;
Vomiting;
Vision disorders.

Classification:

Allocate three types of oligodendrogliomas:
Oligodendroglioma. Glial tumor of the II degree of a zlokachestvennost;
Anaplastic oligodendroglioma. III degree of a zlokachestvennost;
The mixed oligoastrotsitoma. The III degree of a zlokachestvennost, regenerates in glioblasty eventually.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of an oligodendroglioma in all cases begins with basic neurologic inspection which includes:
Magnetic and Resonant Tomography (MRT);
Computer Tomography (CT);
Positron emission tomography;
Electroencephalogram;
Hearing testing;
Testing of reactions of a pupil and movement of eyes;
Balance tests and coordination;
Check of sense of smell various smells;
Reflex tests;
Test of the mental status;
Memory check;
Test of abstract reasoning.

Additional researches are in case of need appointed.

Treatment of an oligodendroglioma:

The first stage of treatment of an oligodendroglioma the maximum surgical excision of a pathological new growth with the greatest possible preservation of healthy tissues of brain is accepted. After performing surgery carrying out a course of radiation therapy according to the scheme similar to the methods which are applied at treatment glioblasty or anaplastic astrocytomas is recommended. In spite of the fact that strict communication between a zlokachestvennost of a tumor and histologic data of an anaplaziya is not revealed, most of neurooncologists incline to carrying out the combined chemotherapy Vincristinum and Procarbazinum for the purpose of treatment of the patients struck with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas.

To patients with not anaplastic oligodendrogliomas the chemotherapy course is appointed, as a rule, only in recurrent tumor cases. KT or MRT should be carried out before a course, and also each 6-8 weeks for patients with anaplastic tumors and each 3 months with patients with not anaplastic tumors in the first year of a disease. In the absence of recurrence signs time in 6 months is carried out to the subsequent time of MRT.